The cherry blossom on the Stray in Harrogate is in full bloom once again.

The colourful annual display makes walks on Harrogate’s 200-acre parkland even better than usual. Visiting it is a ritual many people engage in each year.

Douglas Young, a photographer from Killinghall who enjoys capturing local wildlife is among those who make the annual pilgrimage.

He captured this year’s cherry blossom beautifully in this well composed photo.

If you have any great photos of the Harrogate district, send them to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

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• Coronation events: where to celebrate across the Harrogate district
• Dutch-style roundabout ditched from £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway

Conservative MP Andrew Jones has issued a plea for volunteers to help in the campaign to achieve bathing water status on the River Nidd.

Mr Jones plans to submit an application for bathing water status at Knaresborough Lido after reports of numerous bathers falling ill last summer.

If successful, it would oblige government agencies to take action to improve water quality.

In a three-minute video on his Community News website, the Harrogate and Knaresborough MP blamed the Victorian-era sewage system, run-off from agricultural land and drainage from housing estates for polluting the Nidd.

He asked for volunteers to help with the campaign. He said:

“May this year is a critical time as it marks the start of the bathing season when evidence must be collected for the bathing water application that I’m leading.

“This campaign is building momentum but we can’t let it slide. That’s why I’m calling out to anyone who is passionate about our environment or who uses the River Nidd to come forward and help with the volunteer work.”

Mr Jones said data would be collected over summer and urged anyone interested in helping to get in touch.

He said he would be working alongside Nidd Action Group between now and September to apply for bathing water designation.

Steve Kirkley, from Blenkhorn’s Boats

Steve Kirkley, from Blenkhorn’s Boats, which operates boat hire on the Nidd, told the video improved water quality would “lead to more enjoyable surroundings” while David Clayden, secretary of Harrogate Fly Fishers’ Club, said it would create “a better environment for the river”.

Nicola Shaw, chief executive of Yorkshire Water, said it was important to work in partnership to improve water quality.

‘Nidd plagued by foul sewage’

This week Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, accused Conservative MPs of “blocking new tough measures on water companies” to tackle sewage discharge.

Mr Gordon said the Sewage Discharge Bill would have introduced automatic fines on water companies breaking their sewage dumping permits but Conservative MPs voted to block it.

Mr Gordon, said:

“The Nidd has been plagued by foul sewage discharges. People across Harrogate and Knaresborough are furious about this, yet the Conservative government keeps blocking new laws to get tough on water companies.”

Read more:

• River Nidd testing begins as clean-up campaign gathers pace
• Yorkshire Water discharged sewage into River Nidd 870 times in 2022

Firefighters were called to a house in Ripon today when a pizza box caught fire.

A crew from Ripon was called to an unnamed street in the city just after 9am this morning.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said:

“This was a small fire involving a box left on top of a hob which was accidentally turned on.

“Pizza box was removed to the open by the occupant prior to our arrival.

“Crew used a positive pressure ventilation fan to clear smoke from the property.”

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• Firefighters called to Harrogate hospital to remove girl’s ring
• Birds’ nest causes freak fire in Green Hammerton

Plans to create Harrogate’s first Dutch-style roundabout have been dropped from the town’s proposed £11.2 million Station Gateway.

The roundabouts, inspired by road layouts in the Netherlands, have been in the news this week for their questionable safety record.

Only one currently exists in England — in Cambridge. Data yesterday showed there had been 10 collisions, including three serious ones, in the three years after it was first used in 2019 compared to six minor incidents in the three years before.

However, the number of cyclists using the roundabout has increased by almost 50% since 2017.

North Yorkshire County Council revealed plans in October 2021 to adopt a Dutch-style roundabout outside the Odeon as part of the gateway scheme, which aims to encourage active travel.

The roundabouts contain an outer ring for cyclists and zebra crossings for pedestrians. Motorists have to give way to both.

North Yorkshire County Council, which led on the gateway project before it was abolished and replaced by North Yorkshire Council this month, said at the time the style of roundabout “balances the need for increased protection and priority for pedestrians and cyclists with maintaining capacity for vehicles”.

Junction changes were put forward for the existing East Parade, Station Bridge, Station Avenue and North Park Road roundabout in front of the Odeon cinema.

The Odeon roundabout

The Stray Ferret received numerous emails this week asking whether Harrogate’s Dutch-style roundabout was still due to go ahead in light of the concerns about the one in Cambridge.

We asked North Yorkshire Council whether it still planned to proceed with a Dutch-style roundabout. A spokeswoman replied:

“We took the decision not to install a full Dutch-style roundabout.”

The council later added the decision was made last year.

The fate of the gateway scheme could be decided next week.

North Yorkshire Council’s Liberal Democrat-controlled Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee is due to make a recommendation on the gateway scheme next week.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transportation at the council, has said he will abide by the decision of local councillors.

Read more:

• D-Day looms for £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway
• Striking teachers hold rally in Harrogate

Dozens of teachers from across North Yorkshire converged on Harrogate today for a rally.

The National Education Union, Britain’s largest teachers’ union, is holding strikes today and on Tuesday as part of its latest wave of industrial action.

The NEU has organised rallies across North Yorkshire on previous strike days but today’s was the first in Harrogate. Teachers from as far as Scarborough took part.

Those taking part near the war memorial told the Stray Ferret their main reason for striking was the “crisis” in education, which had left many schools struggling to get any applicants for some teaching posts.

Today’s strike comes after alll four teaching unions turned the latest government offer of a one-off payment of £1,000 and a 4.3% pay rise, as well as an increase in the starting salary for teachers in England to £30,000 a year by September.

Gary McVeigh-Kaye, the North Yorkshire branch secretary of the NEU who organised today’s rally, described the government offer as “an insult”.

The Department for Education described it as a “fair and reasonable offer”.

Read more:

• Striking teachers to hold Harrogate rally on Thursday
• About 500 Harrogate firms set for ballot on whether to keep BID

The Reverend Canon Anna Eltringham has been named as the new Bishop of Ripon this morning.

Downing Street announced at 10am the King had approved the nomination of Rev Canon Eltringham, who is currently team rector for Oxted, in the diocese of Southwark.

Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds introduced the new bishop immediately after the announcement to a gathering at St Peter’s Church in Harrogate.

The Bishop of Ripon is one of five episcopal area bishops in the Church of England Diocese of Leeds and has responsibility for a large area, including the Yorkshire Dales and the towns of Ripon, Harrogate, Settle, Skipton, Wetherby and Richmond.

The new bishop in Harrogate today

Revd Canon Eltringham’s consecration will take place on June 22 in York Minster. However, she will not fully take up the post until September.

She will succeed Helen-Ann Hartley, who left Ripon to become Bishop of Newcastle this year.

Before entering ministry, Revd Canon Eltringham worked in strategic marketing, including a role in Croydon Council.

Whilst increasingly involved in church, community and justice work, she discerned God’s call to ordained ministry, following in the footsteps of her father and previous generations in her family.

Revd Canon Eltringham grew up in the west country and studied business and anthropology at the University of Durham.

She plays the saxophone and is married to Nigel, with whom she has two daughters. They enjoy family trips out in her VW T25 campervan and visiting museums, galleries, arts events and the seaside.  She also likes creative writing, walks in the country and trying to up-cycle furniture.

She said:

“I have felt drawn back to the north of England for a number of years and have a strong sense of God’s call to this particular role.

“God has laid a number of things on my heart in recent times, including a passion for climate-care and justice; care for the wellbeing of clergy and all God’s people; a vision for a church that serves as much beyond as within its buildings; and children and young people at the heart of it all.”

‘Important rural area’

The Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds said of the appointment:

“I am delighted to welcome Revd Canon Anna Eltringham as the next Bishop of Ripon and to this important rural area that includes the world famous Yorkshire Dales.

“Our parishes and communities, big and small, will greet her with great warmth as her commitment to parish ministry and the environment will be evident from the word go.

“Anna’s pastoral care for clergy and lay leaders is evident from her previous work in the Diocese of Southwark and the wider church. She will greatly support our diocesan mission to encourage Christian confidence across the Ripon episcopal area and beyond.”

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Revd Canon Eltringham was ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Southwark in 2008 and served her title at Holy Innocents in South Norwood.

She then joined the Oxted team ministry (four churches in Surrey) where since 2019 she has been team rector.

Since 2017 she has also been the Dean of Women’s Ministry, advocating for, and developing the ministry of lay and ordained women in the diocese and advising senior staff on such matters. Anna has also served as an honorary chaplain to the monarch since 2020.

The Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York said:

“Revd Canon Anna’s enthusiasm and love for parish ministry and her ability to connect, having been an advocate for clergy well-being and serving as Dean of Women’s Ministry, will be a great blessing to the parishes and Diocese of Leeds.”

Businesses in Harrogate will begin voting on June 1 on whether to continue to fund services such as street cleaning and Christmas lights.

Currently 462 town centre businesses with a rateable value above £19,000 pay a levy to Harrogate Business Improvement District.

The BID spends the money on additional services to those provided by local authorities to attract footfall into the town centre.

But its first five-year term is ending and it will cease operating if a majority of businesses vote ‘no’ to another five-year term.

BID chief executive Matthew Chapman at last night’s event.

Last night Matthew Chapman, chief executive of the BID, launched the organisation’s term two business plan at the Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel.

The plan reveals the BID is forecast to have £510,000 income a year — down on current £554,000 a year — because of a recent re-evaluation of rateable values on town centre businesses.

Mr Chapman said the BID, like many businesses, would have to “do more with less” but he maintained the organisation provided a valuable service through activities such as its street ranger Chris Ashby, street deep cleaning, Christmas lights, match-funded grants, street entertainment, targeted free parking and floral baskets and planters.

Street ranger Chris Ashby

Locally, Ripon, York, Leeds, Skipton, Ilkley, Otley, Bradford and Northallerton have bids although Knaresborough rejected one.

The business plan says:

“Harrogate BID is needed more than ever before and we ask you to please use your ballot paper to vote ‘yes’.”

Council to abstain in vote

However, the BID won’t be able to call on the local authority to support its bid — unlike five years ago.

Harrogate Borough Council previously used its block vote for businesses it ran to vote in favour of the BID.

But North Yorkshire Council, which replaced it this month, has said it will abstain.

Asked last night how he felt about this, Mr Chapman said:

“It’s a little disappointing but it could also be positive because it will be a true business vote.”

Mr Chapman added he wasn’t aware of any other councils that abstained in BID votes.

The ballot will run from June 1 to 28 and the result will be announced on June 29.

Read more:

• Harrogate BID to launch campaign for second term
• Crime commissioner’s office to move to Harrogate Police Station

A friendship bench has been installed at Follifoot Primary School to encourage pupils to support each other.

The bench provides a place where children can sit if they feel lonely or don’t have anyone to play with at playtime. Others see them and start up a friendship.

Friends of Follifoot School, a group of volunteer parents, presented the bench to the school playground this week.

Children elected on to the school council proposed the idea last year to promote friendship and kindness.

The friends group has now made it happen by using funds raised at its annual summer fair Follifête to buy the bench, which was crafted by Harrogate furniture company Harvey George.

The unveiling of the bench coincided with the last day on the committee of four members of the friends group. Laura Hartley, Vicky Hodgson, Claire Hartley and Sam Riley stepped down after fundraising for the school for five years. The bench was their parting gift to the children.

Read more:

• Follifoot primary school told to make improvements by inspectors
• Harrogate church saves £20,000 on clock repairs with can of duck oil

A new committee is now planning the next Follifête on July 9 at Follifoot Village Hall.

Ms Hartley, who was chair of the friends group, said:

“It was something the school council were really passionate about and we’re glad that we were able to bring their idea to life. We hope that the bench will see hundreds of friendships created over time.”

Headteacher Rebecca Holland said:

“I am sure the bench will be loved by Follifoot children for decades to come.”

Pic shows: Friends of Follifoot School present the bench to pupils. Back row L to R: Sophie Griffiths from Harvey George; Laura Hartley, chair of FOFS; Rebecca Holland, headteacher, Claire Hartley, Vicky Hodgson and Sam Riley from FOFS; middle row L to R: Lizzie, Annabelle, William; front row L to R: Elliot, Jessica, Florence, Jasper

Police have issued a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to after an electric bike was stolen outside a Harrogate supermarket.

The incident happened at Aldi on Old Beck Road at about 3.10pm on Saturday, April 15.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today:

“The bike had been left secure outside the store. A man entered B&Q next door, then rode the bike away.

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise a man pictured on CCTV, as they believe he will have information that will help the investigation.”

A full length image of the wanted man.

Anyone with any information is asked to email joanne.fawectt@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 371 Joanne Fawcett.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12230066912 when passing on information.

Read more:

• Harrogate Turkish Baths accused of discrimination for halving women-only sessions
• Harrogate church saves £20,000 on clock repairs with can of duck oil

Turkish Baths Harrogate has been accused of discriminating against women by halving the number of single-sex sessions.

From May, the baths will reduce the number of women-only and men-only weekly sessions from two each to one.

Staff have said in emails to customers it is a business decision based on low numbers at one of the men-only sessions.

They say the decision to cut one of the men-only sessions means it’s necessary to do the same with one women-only session to maintain fairness.

Consequently, the daytime session devoted exclusively to females will no longer exist — even though it is popular.

Regular customer Francine Holroyd said the decision was “fundamentally wrong” and unfair on women.

She said female-only sessions were consistently well attended and provided a safe space for women of all backgrounds.

Ms Holroyd said:

“I’m very worried for a lot of Muslim ladies and others like myself who go on their own and would not go to a mixed session. It is fundamentally wrong.

“I do believe it is discriminatory as it means there will only be an evening session available to women.  The Turkish Baths offers a safe place for women of all ethnic backgrounds to meet together and relax.

“If one of these sessions is removed it means that it reduces by 50% women’s access to spaces for women only. Women travel from all over Yorkshire to enjoy the Turkish Baths in a safe, female friendly environment.”

The Turkish baths on Parliament Street

Ms Holroyd, who is chair of governors at Harrogate Ladies’ College, said the loss of the daytime single-sex session would particularly affect women because, as they provide most childcare, they had more free time during the day to attend such things before school pick-up rather than in the evening. She added:

“Surely the decision should be a commercial one — i.e. the two ladies-only sessions are full so keep them.”

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Katie Summersall, Turkish Baths manager, said:

“Following a successful trial, a new operational model is set to be introduced at Turkish Baths Harrogate.

“From May 1, guests will be able to book a timeslot set for every 30 minutes and will be able to spend up to two hours in the baths. This will mean there will be less of a wait at the start and end of each session as guests will no longer all need to arrive and leave at the same time.

“Two single-sex sessions will also be removed (on Thursday and Friday), meaning more customers will be able to access the baths throughout the week.”

Nude ban remains

Ms Summersall also said the baths had “decided that swimwear will remain compulsory at all public sessions”.

Clothing-optional sessions ended last month after a complaint was made to police about “inappropriate behaviour”. No further details were released.

North Yorkshire Police said at the time enquiries were at an early stage and ongoing.

The Stray Ferret asked for an update. A police spokesperson said:

“There’s no update, enquiries are ongoing.”